The Perfect Hero
by ameliarose32
Summary: Caitlyn's on a mission to find C with the help of a kind man named Will. Twisted Fate x Caitlyn
1. will

Hello everyone! Finals are over and I'm making the most of my break playing lots of league (dat new abam map) and writing! If you've read my previous stories, every chapter is really long with 5 mini-chapters. I've decided to break it up and put 2 or 1 sections as individual chapters to make it easier to read =D. I will be updating regularly since I get so obsessed once I start a story!

Prologue

_A handcuff clicked around his pale wrist, and a smirk slid across his face. _

_"You are under arrest… C. I've finally caught you."_

_Caitlyn's triumphant and serious face looked up at C, who smirked amusedly down at the handcuff around his wrist. They stood once again at the top of Constance Tower, Demacia's city lights glittering below them. Below the magnificent and high tower, pedestrians littered the streets ignorant as to the scene going on thousands of feet above them. The wind blew through Caitlyn's brown hair, as her eyes locked with the handsome brown eyes of the elusive thief. _

_Her eyes widened. She had never gotten a full look at his face before. The thief had always made a point of hiding his image below the broad brim of his hat. She had not imagined him to be young and ruggedly handsome. So this is the face of all my trouble, she thought, as she stared back into his eyes gleaming with amusement. _

_"Sorry," He said, as he leaned in and pecked her on the lips, "Try again."_

_Caitlyn cried out as the handcuff came loose, and her treasured prisoner disappeared in a cloud of dust. She fell to the floor, grasping at the cards that he left. They all said C, and the three cards were in red, blue and yellow. Caitlyn was never one to cry, and she would not start now. Instead of crying out in anger or falling to tears, she hastily flew down the steps of the tower, pushing past security guards. As she ran out into the busy streets, she pushed past the crowd searching for his familiar figure._

_After hours of searching, she had come up with nothing._

1.

"Caitlyn!" Vi said loudly as she pulled open the curtains, filling the dark room with bright sunlight, "Get up! It's time for work." Caitlyn groaned, turning over in her bed and staring at the alarm clock.

"Come on, cupcake. Jayce's waiting for us at the police station." Vi sighed, her hands on her hips.

"I had the strangest dream." Caitlyn said in the patrol car, as she sipped a cup of coffee.

"Eh?" Vi grunted.

"I dreamt that I finally caught C… but he escaped again."

Vi shrugged, "If you hit a wall, hit it hard."

Caitlyn scoffed, "How is that supposed to help me, Vi?"

"I donno." Vi stared boredly out the window as she drove. When they arrived at the station, they found Jayce sitting in front of a cell that housed the person they had arrested yesterday, Elise. As Caitlyn opened the door to the jail cells, her heart beat quickly as she looked at Jayce's back. She was always attracted to him, but even she could tell that Jayce was more likely to be focused on his work than anything. He was the defender of Piltover, and it was more than a full time job. He didn't have time for women.

She watched him talk intensely with the strange woman behind the bars.

Caitlyn walked in, and Jayce immediately asked her if he could take Elise back to his lab for testing and experiments. She hesitated, but then decided that Jayce knew what he was doing. "Alright," She said, "Just fill out some paperwork when you're done."

When she made her way outside, she sat down at her desk and stared at the thick file she had collected on C. Her slim fingers pulled out the last card he had left her… a blue one. Where would he be striking next? She thought, trying to decipher it. The top corner of the card was slightly folded from its age. C had not struck again for a while.

She thought about the face that she saw, she couldn't remember it at all. It was a vague blur in her memory, and she was infuriated that she couldn't remember his features. But she did remember one thing- he was handsome_. _Caitlyn quickly stopped herself in her thoughts.

Sighing, she threw the card back into the folder as Jayce approached from the jail cells. He hastily signed some paperwork, and Caitlyn made arrangements for him to take Elise back to his lab. She watched his car leave into the distance, as Vi stood by her.

"If you have the hots for him, you should tell him." Vi sighed, shaking her head.

"Vi, you know as well as I that he's more focused on his work than anything. Neither of us have time for a relationship." Her eyes softened as the car finally disappeared around the corner.

"A call for you, Miss Caitlyn!" The secretary, Elisa, called from the office. Caitlyn went over to the phone, picking it up.

"Caitlyn, I'm Liza Sword. I'm in charge of an artifact museum in Demacia. One of our most precious artifacts was found stolen an hour ago from our safe…"

Caitlyn held her breath, listening.

"And we believe that it was C. His trademark card is there, after all."

She exhaled, and said "I'll be there as soon as I can."

She quickly made arrangements to travel to Demacia by plane. Vi and Caitlyn quickly packed their bags, making their way to the other city. As they waited in the airport, Vi read a magazine that had Corki on the front page. "Hey! Corki designed the plane we're about to board on!" Vi said, her hand on her chin, "Imagine that!"

Caitlyn didn't reply, she just stared out at the landing strip of the Piltovian planes. The day was growing dark, and twilight was approaching. Her eyes narrowed_, I'll catch him if it's the last thing I do_…

Suddenly, a voice cut through their cuts. A woman cried "Thief!" Caitlyn and Vi turned to see a man running off with the woman's bag. They sprung into action, chasing after him. The man turned a corner, however, and before they knew it, he fell onto the ground with a cry. The purse fell onto the floor, and a man picked it up. When he looked up at them, Caitlyn had the feeling that his face was vaguely familiar.

He held it up, "This yours?"

Caitlyn frowned into the man's handsome eyes, "No…"

"Oh, thank God." The woman walked towards them frantically, taking the bag with tearful eyes, "I thought it was gone. Thank you so much for getting my purse back!"

"No problem, m'am. "The man said, smiling. Caitlyn stared at his face, trying to place where she had seen him. He had dark brown hair with chestnut colored eyes. When he smiled, he smiled with all of his face with crinkles in his eyes and dimples in his cheeks. "Looks like someone's got a crush!" Vi's voice broke into Caitlyn's thoughts. Caitlyn hit her on the shoulder and said "Quiet."

She cleared her throat, "Good work, kind stranger."

The man looked at Caitlyn, and frowned slightly, "You look familiar."

"I bet that's what you say to all the girls!" Vi said in the background.

"You look familiar also…" Caitlyn squinted, "But I can't quite place you."

He shrugged, "Me neither. I'm Will."

"Caitlyn, and this is Vi."

They shook hands, and Will asked where they were from. "We're from Piltover." Caitlyn explained.

"Ah, are you on a flight to Demacia?"

"How do you know that?"

"I just assumed." He smiled kindly, with that crinkle in his eyes again. Caitlyn said "Yes, we are. And where are you on your way to?" He said that he was going to Demacia also for an emergency. He explained that he worked in a museum, and one of the precious artifacts had gotten stolen. "Gilda's Short Sword," Caitlyn said. Will looked surprised, "Yes… how did you know that?" She smiled, and replied "Liza hired me on this case."

He nodded slowly, "I see."

"Hey!" Vi called from the airport shop which had a large picture of Corki painted on the display, "Look! They're selling mead…in the airport!"

Caitlyn turned to Will. The airport was almost empty, and the announcer's voice started to blare out the names of flights that were about to fly. "Flight 302 to Demacia…. Boarding in thirty minutes…"

Caitlyn looked up, and said "Well. That's our flight. I don't suppose you're on 302 either?"

"Yes, I am actually." Will grinned.

"Good, that will give us more time to talk about the case."

He nodded, and followed her into the airport shop to retrieve Vi. He turned to the side, his handsome eyes looking up to the giant clock that was in the center of the airport. A secretive smile grew on his face.

2.

After the flight landed, Caitlyn and Vi headed towards their hotel. Will was living in a different hotel that was in a much shoddier area. Caitlyn was a little wary about Will's safety, but he insisted that it was alright. They exchanged numbers, promising to meet in a few hours at the museum. Will watched Vi and Caitlyn leave into the taxi, which drove towards the opposite side of the city. A car pulled up to the curb, but it wasn't a taxi. The window drew down, and a woman with dark black hair and pale skin smiled back at him from the driver's seat. "Get in, fool." She said quietly.

"Hello Eve." Will smiled, "It's nice to see you again too."

He climbed into the car, which made its way across the bridge towards the city of Demacia. "Is she really that easy to fool?" Eve asked. Will looked up into the mirror and sighed softly, "I suppose so." He looked back at her, a smile crossing his face. She smirked and said "I wish you were that obsessed with me…"

"I'd say it was more like a game of cat and mouse." Twisted Fate replied, as he put on his old familiar hat. They arrived at a shoddy hotel with an electronic sign that stated "Roaches and Coaches" in the front. The only letters that were still working were the R and the C. He signed in, as 'Will Monte', and bid goodbye to Eve before heading towards his hotel room.

Caitlyn looked up into the elegant bathroom mirror, her chocolate eyes tired and serious. Vi pulled out a bathrobe and said "Free bathrobes, cupcake!" Cait sighed, and looked back into the mirror, thinking about the case. Don't lose confidence in yourself, she thought, sometimes the truth is right under your nose.

C had not struck for years now, but now that he finally did, at least it meant that she would have more clues with which to catch him. The whole reason she entered league was to finally find C. She tried to conjure up the face she saw in her dream, but it drew a complete blank.

She glanced down at her watch, seeing that they were meant to meet Will at the museum in thirty minutes. They walked down the hotel lobby, and out onto the busy streets to call a cab. Caitlyn looked up at Constance Tower, her eyes narrowed with regret and determination. "Small Museum, please." Caitlyn said to the cab driver, who nodded and began to drive.

Her eyes followed a dancing bobblehead on the driver's dashboard, watching the way that it moved this way and that. Finally, the car stopped in front of a small building, true to its name, 'The Small Museum'. Will was waiting outside, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans. He smiled at Caitlyn, and she felt a flutter inside of her stomach as she stepped out with Vi.

The doors of the museum were open, with a tall woman waiting outside for them. "I assume you are Caitlyn and Vi," the woman said in her stride towards them, "I'm Liza, the owner of the Small Museum. You've already met Will?"

Caitlyn nodded, glancing over at Will from the corner of her eyes. He gave her a kind-hearted smile.

"Good! Come with me please." Liza said, as she led them into the relatively small museum. Liza wore a maroon dress with beads slung around her long neck, and her face was decorated with a beady nose and very red lipstick. They walked past glass displays of sparkling weapons used on the league of legends battlefield. These were the more unknown weapons, such as 'Doran's Sponge' or 'Sweat Pots'. Caitlyn frowned at another display holding a sharp sword with a ruby encrusted in its handle, which was entitled 'The DE Sword'.

"What's the DE Sword?" She asked Liza, who chuckled and replied "Oh, it was not very popular at all. It stands for 'double edged sword' and the attacker would get hit by 50% of the damage they output… it was not that useful."

"Ahh…" Caitlyn smiled sarcastically.

They walked past the office desk, and into the backroom where there was an open safe surrounded by police tape. Her heart quickened at the sight of the card that lay on the floor. It was yellow, with the word C embedded on it. She walked quietly past the police tape, crouching underneath it and feeling it flick softly against her back.

Vi simply ripped the police tape apart and stepped through it, forcing an irritated frown from Caitlyn.

Caitlyn bent down to the card and picked up the card with a grim demeanor. Its glossy face mocked her in the dim light.

Twisted Fate, under the disguise of Will, watched as the girl picked up his card looking somber. He almost chuckled right then and there, she looked so determined. His hands fell to his hips, as he simply stared at her bent figure. Eve, in stealth, would be watching them from a distance.

"Where do you think he's going to strike next, cupcake?" Vi asked.

"I don't know…" Caitlyn said quietly, as she examined it for hints and clues, "The last time it was yellow… he was planning to strike the Guild Hall." Caitlyn looked up with a sigh, "This place doesn't look like somewhere he would strike either… and Gilda's Short Sword? It doesn't sound very precious."

"Oh, but it is!" Liza spoke up. The two turned to look at her.

"It looks like any average sword, but in truth it grants amazing powers… such as immortality!"

"Immortality." Caitlyn said.

"Yep!" Liza smiled happily.

Will sighed in the corner, as he stepped in to say "It looks like a mundane weapon, but it's extremely powerful if used right." He smiled at the two, knowing full well that Gilda's Short Sword really _was_ an expired and useless weapon from long ago. But that didn't matter.

"I believe that he would strike at the guild hall again…" Caitlyn said, her hand on her chin, "But I'm not sure."

He watched her, a smile plastered on his face.

"It seems like you've been fighting this C for a long time." Will said. Caitlyn crossed her arms and said "Yes. I've made it my main purpose in life to catch this thief, he's my only open case."

"Hmm."

After more hours of investigating the crime scene, Caitlyn left the small museum with little to rely on. Liza related that she locked the museum up for the night, and when she returned the next morning, she found that the front door was wide open. When she ran to the back, where the safe was, she found that the safe was broken open and the only item missing was the short sword.

Caitlyn asked if Will would like to have a drink with them at the bar in the hotel lounge to discuss more about the case. He thought for a moment, and finally said yes.


	2. drinking games

3.

('Will' and 'Twisted Fate' are going to be used interchangeably)

The hotel lounge only had a few patrons scattered here and there. Faint music played in the background as the three made their way to the bar, where the bartender promptly took their orders for drinks. There was a gilded picture of Gragas in the corner, looking suave while holding a glass of wine. Caitlyn traced her slim finger around the wine glass, and Will's eyes watched her finger move around it, an intense look forming in his eyes. She glanced up at him, and he instantly looked back at her and smiled.

"Does anyone else have the key to the museum?" Caitlyn asked.

Will frowned, and said "No, just Liza and me…"

"Strange…" A small suspicion began to form in Caitlyn's mind that Liza or Will was the thief. There were not any signs of forced entry after all. The case of C was famous, and maybe they just wanted to frame C. That would explain why C would all of a sudden act up again after years of not striking.

She turned, her eyes meeting Will's in the dim glow of the bar. He smiled back at her, as their gaze locked, and she looked away quickly and cleared her throat. "What do you think about Liza? Is she trustworthy?" Caitlyn asked.

"She's… a good person." Will said, a slight grin spreading on his rugged face.

Neither of them spoke as they locked eyes, and Caitlyn quickly looked away again. "Don't hurt yourself, cupcake!" Vi said, patting her friend roughly on the back. Caitlyn frowned and said "Vi, why would I hurt myself We are having a serious conversation here."

"I think you know what I mean!" Vi winked in an exaggerated manner, causing Caitlyn to want to bury herself behind the menu.

Vi yawned exaggeratedly, and said "I'm exhausted! I'm gonna go up and take a good ol' nap! See you guys! Bring me some dinner later okay, cupcake?" She promptly got up and left. Caitlyn sighed, watching her partner's receding figure. "She seems a little… carefree…" Will said. Caitlyn kept her eyes in the opposite direction, feeling awkward under her gaze as she replied "Well, she is my partner. What can you do?"

She turned to look back at him, and he was sporting another dashing smile.

"Come now, don't look at me like that. I have more things to concentrate on than romance." She said, a faint image of Jayce popping in her mind.

"What's your whole fascination with C?"

"Fascination?" She frowned, "There's no fascination. I simply want to capture him because after all, he's the only thief that's ever escaped me."

Will sipped his drink and replied "That makes sense… but you made it your whole life's purpose and joined the league of legends just to catch him? Seems a little obsessed."

Caitlyn frowned, "It's not strange to be obsessed with someone who's ruined your reputation."

He shrugged, downing his drink and replying "He didn't really ruin your reputation, not all police officers have perfect records."

She paused, "Why are you asking, anyway?"

He smiled shyly and said "Well, I've been reading about you in the newspapers. You seem like you're really passionate, and I'd hate to see it wasted on the wrong thing."

Caitlyn scoffed, motioning for another drink (she was a woman who could hold her liquor) and said "What I'm passionate about is nobody's business."

He merely grinned good-naturedly, "I like a woman with spunk."

She tossed back another drink, and said "What about you?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you passionate about? Mundane artifacts from the league of legends?"

An amused look spread on his face, and he replied "You could say that."

She leaned forward, her brown hair spilling across her chest as she pressed on, "Why did you want to join the small museum anyway? It doesn't look like an amazing place to work. I saw your resume, it looks quite impressive."

Will's eyebrows raised for a second, and he said "When I was a youngin', I'd always go to the Small Museum after school and on weekends. It was my favorite place to go." He glanced at her and said "I wanted to be in the league… never got accepted. That's why I'm jealous of ya."

She frowned, staring back. He was charming, she'd give him that. He was not overly-charming, not smoozy, but he wasn't frigid either.

"Why did you want to be in the league?" Her voice was quiet.

Will leaned back, staring at the blue pool in his glass, "My father was a hard-working man, but hard work never got him far." He looked up, his cold eyes meeting hers, "I just didn't want to be like him."

"Hmm." She sipped her drink, and wondered if she could get him drunk to explain more. He really did seem to have a big motive for stealing the short sword, or whatever it was. "Would you like more drinks?" She smirked, "It's on me."

He raised his glass up, and said simply "If you're buyin'."

The bartender brought over two glasses of wine… then more… and more. Caitlyn could handle her liquor, but she couldn't handle it as well as Twisted Fate, who was wide-eyed and fully conscious while Caitlyn started to hiccup and slump over her barstool. The bartender brought out another drink, and Caitlyn said "Give it to good Will, here, my kind sir!"

Will shook his head, declining the glass. The bartender shrugged and moved to serve other customers. He stood up, his tall figure leaning over Caitlyn's slender back.

By the time he picked her up in his arms, she was completely passed out. He brought her back up to the room, which Vi answered. She wore a white bath-robe and was digging into a bag of chips. Her fist could barely fit into the small bag. "That's weird," Vi said, "I've never seen Caitlyn drunk like that before." He smiled and simply replied "I reckon."

He deposited the sleeping figure gently onto the bed, before saying goodbye to Vi and making his way out. His hands were in his pockets as he walked out into the dark streets, the bright lights of Piltover greeting him.

"Looks like chivalry isn't dead after all." Eve appeared from the shadows, her smile wide on her pale face. He grinned tiredly, turning to look at her. They walked along the streets. To passerbys, it looked like Will was talking to himself so they promptly swerved around him, making sure to avoid him. Twisted Fate quickly put his hat back on, it didn't feel right with it off. His handsome face was immediately shielded by the broad brim.

"Anna tells me she can't understand why you're playing with her like this," Eve sneered.

"Playing with her?" Will frowned.

"With that girl. Caitlyn."

"Ahh."

Eve said quietly, "She's too _innocent_ for you."

He shook his head, before turning into a small and quiet Demacian street. He stood in the middle of the road before a pot-hole, and said "Doesn't matter." With that, he opened the pot hole and swiftly jumped in.


	3. lady luck

4.

After long steps in the dark and reeking tunnels, Twisted Fate came upon a wrought iron gate. He pulled it open and stepped through, his intelligent eyes seeking a ray of light in the murky atmosphere. Finally. It was just a few feet away, like always. He ran towards it, his footsteps splashing in the putrid water. His calloused hands gripped the ladder, as he climbed up towards the light, the sound of festive music growing louder and louder as he neared the surface.

His head popped up out of the floor of an elicit gambling house, hidden in the seedier depths of Demacia. A place that would make Queen Shyvana flame at the nostrils, with prostitutes beckoning gentlemen up in the balcony and lots and lots of illegal gambling. The smell of smoke and fatty foods filled the air, as people began to greet the familiar Twisted Fate.

"Nice to see you again!" A whore, Amber Madison, cooed, "Up for a roll in the hay? I've lowered my price!"

"No thank you."

She was no temptation to him, as he knew full well that beneath her beautifully made-up face and silky blonde hair, she was probably teeming with diseases. He saw other champions from the league among the crowd, such as Teemo. The small badger's eyes were narrowed with concentration and grittiness as he stared down at the cards in his small paws. Twisted Fate laughed at the image. How could Teemo still manage to look so endearing? Gragas also sat in the back of the room, lost in the thick cloud of smoke. They nodded to each other.

He sat the largest table, gesturing to the card dealer who dealt him a pair of cards. The other patrons looked at him uneasily. He had not returned to these seedy gambling establishments for a long time since he had been so busy with the league of legends, but he was still notorious, known for cleaning out houses in one single night.

Tonight was no different. After he struck out big, the patrons around the table and the card dealer stared down at his pair of aces, wide looks on their faces.

"Hey, I've got a friend who wants to meet you."

Twisted Fate looked up from his table, and over his shoulder to an old friend he hadn't seen in ages, Tom. Tom glanced over to a a beautiful brunette with cat-like eyes and legs so long that they reached all the way to Zaun. She giggled, curling her hair around her finger, "Hi there. I'm Katie. You sure didn't disappoint us tonight. Won't you tell me your secret?"

"Enjoy." Tom patted him on the shoulder.

After collecting his winnings, he made his way up the balcony with this strange girl. Katie promptly got them an empty room, and she quickly grasped him by the hand, pulling him into the dark room lit by the moonlight.

"So…" She said quietly, reaching in and her peppermint breath tracing his lips, "What's your secret?" Her finger tenderly slid across the coarse fabric of his hat.

He stared back, "It's all in the cards."

"Get him!"

Twisted Fate expected this, and swiftly threw out his enchanted cards, which promptly disabled his enemies, who fell to the floor. They were all a bunch of useless thugs. He switched the light on, revealing two goons who were on the floor struggling to get up. Katie quivered with fear in the corner, "You… that's black magic!"

A sneer crossed his face, as he said "Don't touch the hat." With that, he was gone. He had literally disappeared into air.

"Where did he go?!" One of the thugs cried, finally able to get up again.

"I…" Katie's face was pale, "He's evil! It's black magic!"

Twisted Fate teleported back to the street where he had come from, sweat drenching his shirt. His eyebrows furrowed in the intense feeling of adrenaline that accompanied him every time he teleported. He looked over his shoulder. Vibrant lights danced from Demacia's Honor Square, and the distant clock tower informed him that it was 1 in the morning.

His stomach growled, and he quickly headed over to the main streets to get some dinner. The only restaurant that was still open was a small saloon in a shady area near his motel. He walked into the dim light. There were still a few bar-flies sitting at the counter, drinking their miseries away. A frown crossed his eyes, as he saw two figures that did stand out: a mom and her daughter.

They were asking the bartender for food.

He grasped his winnings in his pocket as he sat beside them. "Please sir… we have no money but my daughter's going to starve to death if she doesn't have anything to eat." The mother said weakly.

Will kept his eyes averted, as the bartender laid a glass of mead in front of him. He promptly threw a few coins on to the table.

The bartender gave an irritated sigh, and said harshly, "Sorry, we don't give handouts here. You'll have to go to the soup kitchen, lady. It opens at 9am."

"We're homeless, please help us… sir…"

"Get out or I'm calling the police."

Twisted Fate sighed, "At least be a gentleman about it, Liam." He turned to the mother, who looked back at him with weak and fatigued eyes, "Would you kindly leave the establishment? Thanks a lot, honey." A charming grin passed his lips, as he took a large sip of his drink.

The mother stared back as her mouth fell at his blatant lack of compassion. She took her daughter's hand and they walked feebly out of the saloon.

"Thanks, man."

Will sat there for a little while longer, sipping his drink quietly. Then he sighed, "Get me a steak and some more mead."

"Coming up."

He got up from his barstool, and swiftly made his way out to the cold streets. His eyes narrowed, as he watched the mother and her daughter still walking in the distance. His hands gripped the fat wad of money inside of his pocket. He had cleaned house tonight, and earned more than enough for them to get dinner tonight. In fact, the amount of cash that he had won was enough to support them for at least a month.

Compassion doesn't suit you, a voice told him, as he saw himself walking towards them. He ran into a dark alley, climbing up the ladder and following the pair as he nimbly hopped from roof-top to roof-top, the bright moon white and pregnant over his shoulder.

Finally. They headed into a dark alley, where there was a makeshift home made out of luxurious cardboard boxes.

"Mom… I'm hungry…" The daughter said quietly.

"I-I know, Molly, I-"

Here it goes. Will took out the fat wad of money, releasing it from the rubber band. His nimble hands spread out, his coarse fingers gripping the money. When his grip loosened, the dollar bills flew into a flurry in the open air, raining down onto the mother and her daughter. A proud smile came on his face, as he heard their exclamations of joy.

Flashbacks of his own childhood flashed through his eyes, as he stared up at the full moon. The black eyes, the bruises on his back, and the cuts on his face, all inflicted by his father, who worked back-breaking hours and yet never had anything to show for it.

His father literally worked till he dropped dead, and yet when he died there was not a cent to his name. Instead, he left behind a large amount of debt for Will and his mother.

What Will earned in two days from his days of gambling and thievery equaled to what his father earned in ten years. Life isn't fair, Twisted Fate thought casually, as his hands slipped in his pockets and he merely gazed up at the moon. Lady luck is smilin'.


	4. progression

5.

"Oh dear…" Caitlyn sat up, grasping her spinning head, "Where am I?" She looked around her, relief flooding her heart as she realized that she was safe and sound in her hotel room. Vi snored loudly in the corner. She quickly got up, the blankets falling to the floor. Where was Will? Her eyes narrowed, as she quickly made her way to Vi and said roughly "Wake up, Vi!" Vi woke up with a start, breathing "Jayce?!"

"Err… no…" Caitlyn paused awkwardly, before asking what happened last night.

"Oh…" Vi rubbed her eyes, "That guy brought you back here when you were drunk outta your mind." She smiled faintly at her partner, who groaned and said "What?! That doesn't make sense! How could I have gotten-ow!" There was a piercing pain in her head.

"Ah, a hangover." Vi nodded sagely, "Nothing some more beer can't fix. Let me get you a glass."

"No!" Caitlyn held her hand up, "Where is Will?"

"Probably back at his motel?"

"We have a case to get to!" Caitlyn said anxiously, "I have no time for a hang-"She groaned again, sitting down and holding her dizzying head. Vi sat down beside her, saying "Maybe you should stay in today…"

Caitlyn's bloodshot eyes looked out to Constance Tower outside the hotel window, "_No_, definitely not."

She picked up her phone, dialing Liza's number.

"Hello, Liza, will you have time to meet with us today?"

"Of course," Liza replied, "I'm at the museum right now."

"Alright… we will be there shortly."

Caitlyn hung up, the wooziness returning. Shaking her head, she got up and with furious resilience, went to go brush her teeth and wash her face.

The two headed towards the Small Museum.

**_Part Two_**

1.

"Are you… okay?" Liza asked, "Do you want some water?"

Caitlyn shook her head roughly, "No! I'm fine."

After a moment's pause, she continued and said "So, what made you want to start the museum in the first place? Let's not beat around the bush…" Her tired eyes glanced around the displays, "The exhibits here are rather…mundane."

Liza chuckled, "Well…Doran's Sock isn't really all that interesting, but there are people who like these short of things, especially children. Will used to come here all the time as a child, when my parents managed this museum twenty years ago."

"Mmm." Caitlyn clutched her head, feeling like Liza was speaking in Zaunite.

Thankfully, the lighting in the back office was dim and helped to alleviate Caitlyn's headache.

"Caitlyn!" Vi cried, causing the other girl to jump and cringe. "Ow…" Caitlyn sighed, "What is it Vi?"

"They have Heart of Straw here! It's like heart of gold but cooler!"

"…Anyway," Caitlyn said, sternly ignoring Vi's noise in the background, "What would you say about Will's character?"

"Will's character?" Liza's eyes widened, "Well… he's a good man…"

"I see." That's what they all say, Caitlyn thought. Perhaps these two were in cahoots together.

"You do know that C has not struck for years now. It's a surprise that he struck again… and at such a… humble…place, no less." Caitlyn's eyes again transfixed on the Doran's Sock exhibit.

"Mmm," Liza shrugged, "People are surprising."

"I see. Are you sure Will left the night before the sword was stolen?"

Liza paused, and laughed, "Are you suggesting that _Will_ stole the sword?"

Caitlyn was silent.

"Oh no," Liza shook her head, "No, no no… Will is a good man."

"Mmm." Caitlyn slumped over her chair with a sigh.

The door opened with a small ring. They turned over to see Will, in a dark red shirt and jeans. He looked refreshed, with dark circles under his attractive black eyes. They met Caitlyn's blood-shot ones, and she looked away with a twinge of embarrassment and suspicion.

What does a yellow card mean? Caitlyn frowned. She deduced from it that he was going to strike at the guild hall again, but the security there had been amped up ever since the last robbery… which Caitlyn had filed to solve. She gripped the sides of the desk tightly.

"Feeling better?"

She jumped at the feel of his breath against her neck, "Don't do that!" Her hand flew to her head, gripping it tightly as the pain pulsed.

"Sorry." Will chuckled, filling a plastic cup with water and bringing it over to Caitlyn, who received it tiredly.

He sat in the chair beside her, and with a quiet smile asked if she was feeling better. "Urghh… it'll pass…" Caitlyn sighed, her fingers on her temples. They waited for a beat.

"If I'm right," Caitlyn confided, "C will strike again at guild hall… but I don't know how he would dare step foot in there again. There are twice as many guards and security systems in place now."

"He'd find a way." Liza said.

Caitlyn's sharp eyes flew to meet Liza's. Liza became a little nervous.

"Yes," Will said, "He's notorious for being tricky. The articles make him sound like some kind of monster."

Caitlyn looked away, staring down into the clear water in her cup. "I think we should continue this tomorrow…" She said. "Need some rest?" Will's voice was dark. Caitlyn's eyes blurred, "Yes…" She stood up quickly, calling Vi's name. Vi walked back into the room like a panting puppy dog, "Yeah?"

"Let's go home- I mean, back to the hotel..."

"Alright!"

As the two exited the museum, a figure watched them from afar. Graves sat on the bench, his face shielded by a newspaper as he watched his archenemy's new friends climb into a taxi that drove away into the distance. His sources told him that Twisted Fate was in Demacia this time, frequenting the old sleazy places they used to peruse together. Graves stood up, hungry for revenge.


	5. an unexpected hero

2.

Dinner time. Vi had left to explore the city on her own, the poor girl had never been to Demacia before. Caitlyn was on her own in the dark hotel room, drinking hot water and eating chocolate while staring at the dim glow of television. She was watching a crime thriller, and had figured out the entire plot in the first ten minutes. As the ending scene played, she sighed at the confirmation that she was right all along: the murderer turned out to be the protagonist's own husband!

Mmm, sometimes the truth was right under your nose. Caitlyn shook her head at the irony of it all, as there was a knock on the door. She sat up, wondering who it could be. She paced quietly over to the door, looking into the eye-glass and seeing Will. He held take-out in one hand, and a container holding two drinks in the other. She opened the door by a crack, embarrassed to be seen in such a poor state, and asked "What?"

Will smiled amusedly, and held up the food, asking "Well?"

Caitlyn sighed, closing her eyes and opening the door, "Come on in… thank you for the food."

He stepped in, closing the door behind him and setting the food and drinks on the table. "Feeling better?" He asked gently. "Yes, sort of." She mumbled. "Where's your partner?" He asked. "She's out exploring." Caitlyn said, feeling slightly reminiscent of Ezreal.

"Ah. I brought you an iced ginger tea, and some light food to help you feel better."

Caitlyn's stomach growled, as she went over to unwrap the bags, "Thank you, Will, you're a gentleman." He merely responded with a smirk.

They sat face to face at the table under the dim lamp. The food was delicious, and Caitlyn asked where he had ordered this. "It's a secret." He merely replied. The ginger tea was also wonderful, helping her feel much more refreshed. It washed down her dry throat, soothing her.

"I look terrible." Caitlyn blurted. She blushed and glanced up, usually not one to be self-conscious. Why did she even care what he thought? For all she knew, he could be a criminal. If Caitlyn could put how much she trusted Will into a percentage, it would be 15%. He seemed too good to be true.

Will looked up, chewing on his food, and then swallowing.

"Don't we all?" He merely smirked and continued to eat.

"Good point."

He shrugged.

"Sorry about last night… and thank you… for taking me back safely." She said awkwardly.

"Oh, it's fine. It's not like I was going to do anything strange…" He looked up at her, a dark look growing in his untellable eyes.

Caitlyn stared back, her chin poised on the top of her knuckles, and said "You know, you have really mysterious eyes."

He chuckled, not breaking eye contact and saying "I bet you say that to all the girls."

"No, I've never said that to anyone before." Caitlyn said, missing the joke and going back to eating.

"Mysterious eyes?" Twisted Fate asked softly.

Caitlyn swallowed her food, and said "Yes." Her brilliant brown eyes glanced up to meet his, "There's an unknowable and profound story in your gaze. It's almost like I can't figure you out."

A pause.

"But I probably can," She smiled and chuckled at him, "In a few days, I'll probably be able to read you like a book."

"Oh?"

He leaned back in his chair, the shade falling over his eyes as he said "So what _do_ you think about me so far?" Her eyes squinted, as she thought for a moment and replied "Well… you are a kind man, and you are quite attached to the museum. It seems like you would do anything for it. Maybe even steal one of its items in order to conjure up more publicity for it…"

Her words hung in the air. He looked back at her, and let out a loud laugh, "Really?"

"Yes." She was silent.

"Sorry," he said simply, "Try again."

Those words. _Sorry, try again_. Where had she heard them from? Well, they were quite common phrases… but something about them just seemed familiar.

After a while, Will announced that it was time to leave. "Thank you for dinner." Caitlyn said, as she opened the door for him. He passed by her and said "Thank you for having me." His dark eyes glimmered with mystery, before she simply smiled and closed the door.

In the cool hallway, a voice said "It doesn't seem like she's warming up to you."

Eve popped out, walking alongside him. He sighed, staring out the clear window in the lobby that looked out to Demacia's Honor Square. He pressed the elevator button, waiting silently. "She'll warm up to me eventually," He said, his knowing eyes falling on Eve, "They all do, wouldn't you say?" A smirk crossed the woman's face, as the elevator doors closed between them.

Tired, he went back to his motel room. As he walked, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned quickly, feeling like someone was behind him. His pace increased, usually his feelings were right. He ran, and this time, felt definite footsteps behind him. Graves!

He turned around, preparing to throw his enchanted cards when he saw a small girl chasing after him. He froze. It was the little girl from the night before in the saloon. They stared at each other as the sun began to set, casting an orange glow over the pavement.

"I just wanted to say thank you!" The girl said, an innocent and wide smile growing upon her small face, "I saw you help us!"

He simply stared back, his eyes wide and fearful at this strange girl walking up to him, holding something in her hand.

"This was from my dad," she said quietly, handing him an old and battered steel watch, "Please have it."

He held this ugly old watch in his hands, watching the light glimmer over its dull edges. It clicked dully in his coarse palms, as he asked "Why?"

"Because of you," the girl said, "My mommy and I have a home to live in!"

"Really?" He said faintly.

She nodded, and then said "I have to go home now. Bye!" She waved at him before turning. He waved, his hand awkwardly frozen in place as he watched her run off into the distance. He slipped the watch around his wrist, smirking at how clunky and awkward it looked. He kept it on anyway, and whistled as he made his way home.


	6. all tied up

**Sorry about the slight delay! Had to get a new router! **

Demacia's Guild Hall. People turned their heads in recognition as Caitlyn walked up to the large front desk situated by the entrance. The clerk in charge looked up, his eyes dubious behind his large spectacles, "May I help you, miss?" Caitlyn held up the yellow card on which was inscribed the word C and said "I believe C will strike here again soon." The man sighed, taking off his glasses and saying "What's that you're holding miss?" Caitlyn's eyes narrowed, "It's C's calling card!

"Hmm, did I ever tell you that that looks like one of Twisted Fate's cards?"

"Twisted Fate's?" Caitlyn knew of this 'Twisted Fate' from the league of legends.

"Yes," he said, "The guy with the big hat."

"Big hat…" She thought of her dream.

"I need to talk to your superior. Where is Marsha?" Caitlyn asked, her arms crossed.

"Marsha…" The clerk sighed, and got up from his seat, "Wait a minute please." Later on, Marsha Spiritmight, of the Spiritmight house in Demacia, appeared from the back. She was an older woman with pearls strung around her pale neck. "Caitlyn!" She said happily, "I'm so glad to see that you've returned." They shared a brief hug, and Caitlyn held up the card.

"Where ever did you get that?" Marsha asked slowly, taking it.

"C has struck again." Caitlyn said quietly.

Marsha looked to the side slowly and then back, "Caitlyn dear… may we speak in my office… alone?" She gave a friendly smile up to Vi, who shrugged and looked away. "Yes, of course. I'll be a minute, Vi." Caitlyn said as she followed Marsha into her office.

Marsha's office had long wooden floors, and a large window that looked out to Demacia. She motioned for Caitlyn to take a seat.

"Caitlyn, we talked about this."

"About what?"

"Look at your belt."

Caitlyn slowly looked down and saw that there was a C on her belt. She frowned, "Marsha, I am not C."

"We've been friends from childhood, so I chose not to say anything, but Caitlyn… now I am reconsidering."

Caitlyn sighed, "No, I can guarantee you that it was not me! In fact… I had a dream about C the other day."

"Mmmhmm." Marsha looked unconvinced.

Caitlyn recounted the dream, and Marsha's look was one of pleasant surprise. "A wide hat that covers C's face, you say?" Marsha said quietly, "Sounds like Twisted Fate to me." Caitlyn was silent, and replied "That's what that drab clerk told me."

""If I am not mistaken," Marsha replied with a slight inhale, "He also has a set of cards that look like this, in the same colors." She went over to a large file cabinet, searching through it and pulling one out labeled 'TF'. She laid it out on the table and pulled out three plastic cards, which were replicas of the ones TF used in the league.

"Here." She said, tossing the cards lightly over to Caitlyn, who picked it up and stared at it. They did indeed look like C's cards. "Also," Marsha said with her hands on her hips, "Twisted Fate is also informally known as the Cardmaster."

"You don't say…"

"We don't have much information on him, but we can be certain that before he joined the league he was involved in many of Demacia and Noxus' illicit gambling houses."

"Huh." Caitlyn put the cards down, and stared outside the bright window, "Do you know where he is now?"

Will and Caitlyn sat at the diner, where they faced each other. Caitlyn gave him a vague recount of what she had learned yesterday, and he nodded whilst adding salt to his food. "Twisted Fate, isn't he in the league of legends?" Will asked. "Yes," Caitlyn said, her eyes falling on his nimble fingers, "He is. But I don't seem to know where to reach him." Will glanced up, and replied "So you don't suspect me anymore, Caitlyn?"

A small grin grew on her face as she replied "Well, I certainly can't rule out any suspects, but for the most part no."

He looked up and laughed.

Suddenly, the door swung open and a woman stepped in. Caitlyn followed Will's eyes, and turned to see a pale woman with black hair walking towards them. She was dressed in a tight dress and her tall red heels clicked on the floor as she made her way to their table. "Were you looking for Twisted Fate?" She asked.

"Yes," Caitlyn squinted, "Who are you?"

"I'm Eve. I can show you his house."

"How do I know that you're telling the truth? And how do you know I was looking for him?"

"Just trust me," Eve smirked, "I'm all you have."

Caitlyn and Will exchanged looks. Will had an amused look on his face, and he simply shrugged and said "We should at least try." Caitlyn glanced down, that was true. She looked up and nodded, "Alright, we'll meet you outside in a few minutes."

After the two paid their bill, they walked outside to meet Eve. The three got a taxi, and Eve leaned over and whispered the address into the taxi driver's ear from the front seat. Caitlyn and Will sat in the back, and Caitlyn watched Eve somberly. "Do you think we can trust her?" Caitlyn whispered to Will.

"Yes, you can trust me." Eve smirked, looking at Will from the rearview mirror. Will stared back at her, his eyes serious and unrelenting. When Caitlyn turned to look at him, that good-natured look returned and he said "We don't have a lot of other things to go on for now…"

They arrived at a large stately house on one of Demacia's more prominent streets. The sprinkler sprayed glass beads of water over the manicured lawn, as a gardener crouched by the rose bushes with a pair of garden scissors. He looked up and tipped his hat at Eve as the three made their way to the door. Eve ignored him, and led the three of them up to the door where she took out a key and unlocked it.

Will's eyes narrowed as he didn't remember giving her a key to his house.

The door opened, revealing a stately and elegant living room. All was still and quiet. Caitlyn observed a bookcase in the corner, her hands running over every spine, searching for clues. For thirty minutes she continued to meticulously observe the front room, as Will sat down with a flourish and Eve beside him.

Eve leaned over, her ear close to Will's, and she whispered softly "You should run now."

"Hmm?" He looked up.

She merely smiled before disappearing into thin air.

Suddenly, there was a large crash in the kitchen. Caitlyn and Will stood up, sharp at attention. There was much bustling before a large boom exploded and there was an incinerated hole in one of Twisted Fate's elegant walls.

"I've finally caught you…"

Will sighed. Great. It was Graves.

"We should go." Will said, taking Caitlyn's hand. Caitlyn glanced around, "Where's Eve?"

"Don't ask, just go." Will said urgently, leading her outside towards the front door. They were interrupted by a large bullet that whizzed just past Caitlyn's ear. Caitlyn turned, seeing Graves standing angry and poised with a large gun.

The man made to shoot again, and Will sharply pulled Caitlyn down onto the floor as more bullets indented themselves into the wall. "Here," he mumbled, grasping her hand softly as they crouched along the floor, "Be careful."

Her breath was sharp, as she pulled out her own rifle and started to fire at Graves from underneath the table. She was calm as she said "Hush, Will." Graves cried out as a bullet hit him in the ankle, and he fell to the floor with a cry. She got up and rushed over to handcuff him, but before she knew it, Graves got up with a loud cry and hit her with the butt of his own gun. She fell to the floor and the two struggled for a few seconds before Graves had the mouth of his gun poised under her chin, "Not so brave now, huh?"

His breaths were ragged, and she was panting heavily herself.

Caitlyn squeezed her eyes shut, hoping Will would take this opportunity to run and call for help. If he were untrustworthy like she had thought, he'd probably be on the other side of Demacia by now. Graves' finger squeezed on the trigger, and panicked thoughts filled her mind under her closed eyelids. Suddenly, she heard a sharp cry and the gun fell from under her chin, landing on the floor. She quickly lurched and grabbed the gun, watching Grave's still figure on the floor.

Will stood over Graves, a bloody statue in his hands.

"Oh, Will…" Caitlyn sighed, her breath heavy. She got up and hugged him tightly. He dropped the small statue, hearing it clunk against the carpet, and hugged her back. They froze for a little while, then pulled away simultaneously, exchanging shy smiles. Caitlyn cleared her throat and said "Let's bring him back for questioning."

An amused smile grew on Will's face. He never was one for bossy women, but this one was different. "Yes, sir." He said, watching his companion kneel down and click a pair of handcuffs around Graves' wrists. They promptly lifted the heavy man's still figure up. "Where shall we put him?" Caitlyn muttered, "It's not like we can call a taxi and ask them to help transport his body."

"Here," Will said, "Let's try one of the bedrooms."

They promptly lifted the body up towards one of the large bedrooms down the hallway. They slumped his body into a chair. "I'll go look for rope," Caitlyn said, "You should watch him."

"Alright. You'll probably find some in the garage." Will replied.

"Thank you, Will."

He watched her go with a smile on his face. A little while later, Caitlyn returned with some rope which she promptly tied around Graves. "There," she sighed. The sun was setting outside, and it had been a rather tumultuous day.

Her stomach growled.

"Hungry?" Will asked, smiling quietly at Caitlyn, who blushed and said "I hope he wouldn't mind if we looked through his cupboards a little."

"Not at all. It looks like he's rarely here anyway."

They headed out to the kitchen, where Will offered to cook her dinner. "No, you shouldn't have to do that… look, there's some instant ramen here." Caitlyn mumbled, bending down to pick up a few packages of instant ramen. Will sighed, took the ramen from her hands and threw it into the trash. "Now, Will-!" Caitlyn started.

"Quiet." Will said.

She stared back at him, her eyes wide and surprised.

He reached over to the fridge, surprised that the young girl really did stay quiet, and his smile grew as he observed the contents. "I'm going to make you some of my famous crawfish." He said, pulling out the ingredients and setting them on the table. Caitlyn's eyes observed all the strange ingredients and she said "Really?"

He started to cook, and Caitlyn sipped a cup of coffee in the corner as she watched him. Vi was probably worried sick by now, she sighed. "Is there a phone here?" She asked, "I must call my partner." Will glanced over to the side as he continued to cook, and a delicious scent of fried fish wafted in the air along with the sounds of something sizzling.

Caitlyn picked up the phone, calling her hotel room. Vi answered, "Yeah?"

"Vi, it's Caitlyn. You must be worried sick, I-"

"Nope! Just got home, cupcake!"

"…Oh." Caitlyn sighed and told Vi what had happened today.

"What! I'll come over right now."

"Alright, thank you Vi."

Caitlyn put the phone down, and turned to Will, who was now setting the table for two. The dim lighting of the room put a romantic feel to the situation, as they sat facing each other. She leaned against the granite countertop with her arms closed, a small smile on her face.

"Well?" Will asked.

"Well." Caitlyn walked over to him, and leaned across the table, her brown hair spilling around her pale face. Her pink lips looked soft as feathers underneath the dim lights.

Will smiled back at her, his grin Cheshire and yet sincere all the same.

"Vi's coming soon." Caitlyn said, breaking the connection and pulling away. "I see." Will replied. She turned and smiled at him, her hand on her hip as she said slowly, "Will, don't break my trust." He looked up from the warm delicious food, and said "Why would I?"

Caitlyn's shoes clicked on the floor as she walked behind him, throwing her skinny arms around his neck and saying "You wouldn't, would you?" With that, she simply pecked him on the cheek. His hands grasped her pale arms, as he slowly turned to stare up at her. They exchanged a slow warm smile, before reaching in and kissing each other slowly. Their lips locked in a tight hold, as Caitlyn pulled her face away with a small smacking sound.

"I take it you trust me now." Will said when Caitlyn went back to her seat and began to eat.

She held up the sharp fork, its steel gleaming intimidatingly in the light, and said "Yes, I do. You don't want to break my trust, Will."


	7. disappointment

Caitlyn opened the door, her head still turned to Vi as she finished "…So then we tied him up, and left him here." She looked up, and with a slight gasp all three saw that the ropes lay scattered on the floor. The chair was knocked over, and the window was smashed open, the night air whistling into the room.

"Or not." Will remarked.

Caitlyn ran over to the window, looking outside of it onto the empty Demacian streets. She climbed out of the window, landing with a slight oomph on the floor and began to search for clues along the grass.

"There's tracks…" she muttered, as she followed the slight indentations in the grass towards the East. She looked down the streets and wondered aloud where he would escape to towards that direction. The bright lights stared back at her. Christmas was fast approaching, and signs of holiday cheer were sprung across the neighborhood in the form of glowing fairy lights hanging off the trees, and Christmas decorations dotting several lawns.

The wind blew softly in her hair, as the first snow began to approach. It dotted her auburn hair, falling onto her pale skin, and landing at her boots.

"You alright?" A quiet voice asked.

Caitlyn turned, seeing her friend Vi walk towards her. Caitlyn sighed, and said "Yes. Of course."

"I know you," Vi said in a rare moment of seriousness, "And you don't look okay right now."

Caityn crouched, her knees bending onto the snowy grass and said "I've been mucking up a lot lately, haven't I?"

"We all do." Vi's hands were in her pockets, "What's the big deal? You're still the best detective I ever knew."

"I don't know about that."

A large hand clasped Caitlyn's back, as Vi said gently "We'll catch him, alright?"

"…Thank you, Vi."

The two stared out into the dark night sky dotted with heavenly snow.

Will stared at them from the edge of the doorway, his eyes dark. While Caitlyn was in the bathroom, he had snuck into the room where Graves was and loosened the ropes. Now that he had her trust, he didn't want it to be broken when she found out that he was the thief she had been searching for all along.

His motive was so clear when he first pretended to be 'Will', it was simply because he was bored and needed some sort of excitement. So he decided to play around with the girl that joined the league just to catch him. But at one point, it became more than that.


	8. coward

Holiday music and Christmas cheer abounded in the pub as Caitlyn followed Will and Vi in. Her pink lips were cold and chapped, and she was grateful when a glass of warm mead was handed towards her at the bar. People were dancing and enjoying themselves. Vi went off to raucously dance with a few other champions who were spreading into a happy half circle. Caitlyn mumbled something grumpily and twirled her slim finger around her glass.

"She's grouchy…" Lulu sighed, staring sadly at Caitlyn's back. Vi shrugged, "This is how she is. I love to make her mad." She finished the last statement with an evil grin. The two watched Will approach Caitlyn. "Who is that?" Lulu asked, and Vi told her. "Hmm…" Lulu said.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"What?" Vi asked again, giving the small yordle an apprehensive look.

"Well… it's just that… he looks an awful lot like someone I know..."

"Who?"

Lulu started to speak, until she spotted Veigar walking in. "VEIGAR!" She screamed. The other yordle looked up and yelped as he started to run. Pix frantically followed Lulu's running figure outside the door. Vi sighed. It probably wasn't anything important.

The door opened and swung with a slight quiet move. Graves walked in slowly, his eyes black and angry. His ankle was bandaged, and he walked with a slight limp. Eve's voice resounded in his head, if you catch that girl, that Caitlyn, Twisted Fate would come to rescue her.

He had told that woman that Twisted Fate was a disloyal scoundrel who wouldn't try to save anyone.

Eve had simply shook her head and laughed, saying that people would do anything for love.

Love, he scoffed at the word, but it was worth a try. He wanted Twisted Fate to feel pain, and if killing off someone that he supposedly loved was a way of doing it, then why not?

Caitlyn looked up and stared at Will from the side of her eye, "Will, we wouldn't work out."

"Why not?" Will smiled pleasantly.

"Because you're just an average person…and I've got so much going on in my life. I haven't ever met any man who's been able to deal with all of this… this drama." She sighed, taking a sip of mead. A foam mustache gathered around her lips. Will leaned in and wiped it away with the tip of his finger.

"Try me." He smirked. They watched each other for a few more seconds, until she promptly said "I have to pee. I mean, go to the bathroom. Alright then." She got up abruptly and stumbled over to the back. Will watched her with a knowing smile on his face.

As Caitlyn made her way to the back, a figure slowly followed her, skirting his way around the crowds.

She opened the door into the empty restroom. The door didn't close behind her, as Graves entered and put the butt of the gun behind the small of her back. She froze, glancing over into the mirror where she saw him holding her hostage.

"Don't say anything." He threatened, "Just walk."

The snow whizzed across Caitlyn's naked knees, as she continued to walk out the back of the restaurant. From a few feet away, Eve watched with a wicked grin on her face. She never did like competition. She hurried back inside the pub, determined to never tell Twisted Fate what had happened to Caitlyn. Graves was not known for his compassion, and Caitlyn was most likely going to die thinking she had been betrayed.

Vi looked up and glanced around the room, noticing that Caitlyn had disappeared for a long time now. She walked towards the restroom, stuck her head in and called out brusquely "ARE YOU OUT OF TOILET PAPER?"

"No I'm fine!" A woman answered, but it wasn't Caitlyn.

Vi groaned, and turned to look out the open backdoor. Her eyes narrowed, as she saw footprints on the snow. She had a bad feeling about this. Vi hurried out the door, walking out into the cold snow.

By the time the footprints disappeared, she heard the roar of an engine being sounded. An old car rumbled as its driver gassed it out of sight, leaving Vi chasing after it determinately. She didn't stop for hours, as she continued to run. Vi was a strong woman indeed. She finally reached up to the car, pulled back her strong arm and delivered a strong punch to the car's rear. It screeched to a halt, as she smiled proudly at the painful dent.

"What are you doing?!" The owner, an old man, asked as he stumbled out of his car. A large cry escaped as he saw the damage. Vi rubbed her head awkwardly, as she apologized with a hearty laugh. "I will SUE!" The old man cried, waving his cane at her. "Okay, look," Vi said, giving him the address of Caitlyn's office, "Just send for a check at this office okay? But you'll have to wait awhile-"

She glanced up, and saw another car driving away. It was the only other car out in the road, but she had a strange feeling about it. It disappeared out of sight.

Vi walked back to the pub, ignoring the protests of the old man who eventually gave up and got back into his busted car. Will met up with her halfway, panting and asking "Where's Caitlyn?" She stared back at him, a serious look on her face as she said "You tell me."

"W-what do you mean?" He looked genuinely frazzled.

"I mean…" Vi didn't know what she meant. She paused in thought.

"She's not at the pub anywhere…"

They went back to the pub and spent hours questioning other people, but no one had any idea as to where Caitlyn was. The last they had seen her was when she had headed to the bathroom. After more hours of searching, they finally gave up. They stood in front of the closed pub. Christmas music was still playing somewhere in the distance, its merry melody now bitter and ironic.

"So what now?" Vi asked.

Will stared out in front of him, his brown eyes intent with determination, "We find her."

"But how," she sighed, "There's no clues."

He shook his head slowly, "Oh, I think we'll be getting one very soon…"

"Well," Vi said, "I'm not going home right now. I'm going to keep looking."

Will smirked, pulling up a pot hole in the middle of the street. He simply said "I never said you had to stop looking." He threw the pot hole across the floor, watching it skid. With a swift jump, he disappeared towards the underground chambers.

Vi's mouth fell open, as she stared down into the dark hole. Half a minute passed.

"Coming?!" Will called.

She grinned and leapt down the hole, delving into stinky darkness. She frowned, "Uhh… Will, what are we doing here again?" His footsteps splashed in the distance, as he made his way farther and didn't give her an answer. She shrugged and followed him. After thirty more minutes, Vi was getting tired of the smell.

"Okay, I don't think we're accomplishing anything by-"

Will put a finger to his mouth to hush her, and started to climb up the ladder, "Follow me."

His hands pushed against a pot hole, and that's when the sound of jolly and raucous music began to greet Vi's ears. She followed him up the ladder, her pink head popping up into the inside of the gambling house.

People didn't seem to recognize Twisted Fate without his hat on. Will intended to keep it off. He walked up to the bar, where the bartender, Jason, came over to greet him. "Haven't seen you around these parts." Jason mumbled, a toothpick in his mouth.

"No?"

Jason's eyes widened with recognition, "Twisted Fate? Is that you?"

Will smiled secretively and said "Keep it on the low." He glanced over at Vi, who was approaching to join their conversation. "How can I help you?" Jason asked. "Where is Graves?" Will asked matter-of-factly. Jason sighed, and stared down at his large hands. He knew everything there was to know about the underground in Demacia and Noxus. Will nodded slowly, holding his hand up as he pulled out a bag of coins. The coins jingled as they landed onto the wooden bar.

Jason took it surreptitiously and said "He's staying at the Red Horse, he's been seen there for the last few weeks."

"Last time he was spotted?"

"He was walking out of his room in the morning with a limp."

"I see."

Will turned away, as Vi said "The Red Horse?"

He responded with a slow nod, as he said "He's probably got her held hostage there."

"Okay," Vi nodded, "Let's go save her ASAP."

"Err…" Will stopped in his steps, "You can, anyway."

"What do you mean?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Look," Will mumbled, as he motioned for her to sit next to him at a table. He pulled out a napkin and began to scribble a map on it with a black pen. "This is the entire layout of the building," He said quietly, and he circled a few doors and said "These are the best ways to escape." Then his pen tapped against the front door on the map and said "This is where you'll enter. The Red Horse is actually on the top three floors of the building, but the elevator will only go up to 9. When you go on floor 9, go out to the back and climb up the ladder to the first window you find."

He slid the napkin over to her, "That's as much as I can help you."

Vi's eyes narrowed, "Are you a worm, Will?"

He stared back at her grimly and replied "I can't go back there. Graves wants to kill me."

"Why?" Vi was confused, then suddenly, it made sense to her.

"You're Twisted Fate." She said quietly.

He stood up, pulling on his hat which cast a shadow over his face, "Bye."

With that, he was gone, melting into the crowd. Vi watched him angrily from her seat.

"You're a coward!" She cried out into the mass of smoke and people, "You don't deserve her!" There was no response.


	9. magic!

The next morning, Vi stood in front of the large building that Twisted Fate had directed her to. It loomed over her, as people passed to and from the doors. It looked completely legitimate on the outside, housing an insurance company, a travel company and even a law firm. It was ridiculous to think that there could be a seedy gambling establishment on the very top floors. She headed into the elevator with a few other people. Her large finger pressed 9.

After a series of small dings with people exiting the elevator, she was finally alone after floor 6. She turned to stare out the window at the buildings that surrounded her. They stared back with empty glass eyes. The doors opened. Floor 9. She walked out into the hallway. It was an empty floor, with pieces of police tape and ropes flung around the way. After much more walking, she heard the sound of howling wind outside the back doors.

Her hands clutched open the door, as she walked out into the metal staircase. The city loomed under her. Thankfully, she was not one to be scared of heights. Her hands grasped the ladder, hoping that they wouldn't crush under her grip and cause her to fall down to the street below.

They held her weight, as she finally spotted a window after much climbing. It was open, and the smell of beer and smoke started to waft in the ear. So he was right. She climbed up a little more, and then she was right in front of the window.

The bar and several gambling tables stared back at her. It was dark as night inside the building.

She climbed in without a word, dusting snow off her body.

Will looked up into the mirror, Vi's voice resounding through his ears. He was a coward, a large coward at that. There wasn't much that was genuine about him. He was a scoundrel, but being a scoundrel was what made him who he was. He walked out into the front lawn to pick up his newspaper, but froze when he opened the door and saw the writing on the snow, which had a cryptic message that read: SHE DIES IF YOU DON'T COME BY 9PM TONIGHT. OUR OLD MEETING PLACE.

Ignoring the strange looks from the neighbors, Will quickly went out and patted the words away with his slippers. He sighed, picking up his newspaper and thumping it against his hands. Vi would be able to save her, wouldn't she?

He went back to the kitchen, where he threw the newspaper against the counter. Something fell sharply to the floor. Turning, he went over and picked the watch up. Though it was ugly and dull, he couldn't help but feel soft as he was reminded of its meaning. I still have a heart, he thought, there's still some good inside of me…

Caitlyn's face appeared in his mind, the way that she had smiled at him and talked to him. Like he was a genuine and nice person again, not just a liar hiding behind a well-crafted mask. The paper dropped to the floor, as he held his hand up, slipping the watch around his wrist. It clicked satisfyingly, as he pulled on his hat and made his way out the door.

Their old meeting place was at a rather ironic and unexpected area. He called a cab and waited by the curb. When the car arrived, he got into its warm inside and stated the address. The driver looked back at him, saying it would cost extra.

"Doesn't it always." He simply smirked.

The car drove off towards a distant place on the outskirts of Demacia. He watched the streets fade, giving way to the grassy fields. Finally, after a few more hours, the car stopped at the foot of a looming hill that was around the Great Barrier. Snow covered the entire area, as twilight began to approach. He handed the driver his fee, and stumbled out of the car.

Before the car even drove away, a gun shot fired into its roof. The driver yelped and drove away for dear life. Will exhaled loudly and said "You always did need a little more patience." Another bullet grazed his ear, as he fell to the floor and started to run.

As he ran, the bullets embedding in the snow around him and his shoes crushing into the ice, he thought about how he never really had to face anything up till he met her. He lived life simply without compassion, love or any kindness. He showed no regret for double-crossing people. Then why am I here? He thought.

If good had truly been sucked out of me, he thought, I'd be at home watching television and not running for my life. He slid down the snowy hill, running into a forest. Graves pursued him with loud footsteps. He ducked behind a tree, watching the other man stealthily walk into the dark and quiet woods.

He pulled out an enchanted card, throwing it at his enemy. It missed, and Graves turned and shot at him.

They fought for a few more hours, until night started to approach. Both of them were now bathed in sweat, battling a wretched and tiresome stalemate.

Finally, at the stroke of 8:50, a sharp card was embedded into Graves' back, immobilizing him. He fell to the floor with a tired cry, staring up into Twisted Fate's blurring image. He breathed heavily.

"Well?" He asked, "Aren't you going to kill me?"

"Where is she?" Twisted Fate's voice was ragged and tired.

Graves weakly sneered and said "You'll never know."

Twisted Fate fell on top of him with a cry of rage, and started to beat the other man's face to a bloody pulp. "Tell me!" He roared. Graves stared back at him with beady eyes and a bloody nose, "Eve's gonna kill her… you'll never make it back in time." The cruel snow coated them.

"E-Eve?"

"Y-yeah… she's the one who told me to do this in the first pl-place…" Graves mumbled, and with a sigh, he fell unconscious.

Twisted Fate simply stood up, and leaned back. He closed his eyes, as the cards spread out below him in a dark circle. He threw his arms up, as he began to fade into thin air.

Before he knew it, he appeared at the front of the Small Museum. He kicked in the door bluntly, his hat shading his handsome face. The inside was quiet. He looked down at his watch, which now stated that it was 9:01pm.

There was a sharp cry in the back, and he hurried over, crushing in the door. Eve held Caitlyn by her collar. He spared no effort in pulling out an enchanted card and slicing it into Eve's back. The woman froze, then slowly turned to look at him. Her eyes were calm and cold, "Will…"

Her hands released, dropping frantic Caitlyn to the floor.

"Why…" Eve asked quietly.

Twisted Fate didn't respond, his eyes were cold as he stared back at the woman who had betrayed him. She slowly disappeared. Caitlyn's eyes were wide and trembling, as she stared up at who she had thought was Will… but he looked more like Twisted Fate, the thief that she wanted to catch.

They stared at each other for some more. With a solemn look, he removed his hat. Will's handsome faced gazed back at her, his brown eyes somber and genuine.

Silence.

Her eyes blinked with recognition.

"Well." She said.

"Well." He smiled.

He helped her up, but before he knew it, there was the click of handcuffs around his wrist.

"Well!" He said, surprised.

"Well, well, well…" She laughed, her eyes squinting in amusement, "Looks like I've finally caught my thief."

"You're not mad I lied to you?" He asked, as she led him out the front door in handcuffs.

"Oh, yes I am, and I'm going to teach you a thing or two about lying to me…" She smiled seductively. As the door opened, their intimate moment was interrupted by the loud sound of helicopters and Demacia's policemen shouting in the night.

"Put your hands up and stay where you are!" A policeman sounded.

Caitlyn paused with a frown. She knew that they would release her once they found out who she was, but she knew that they would not release him.

Liza stood next to a cop, staring angrily at the couple.

"Psst," Caitlyn whispered.

Twisted Fate glanced back at her. Her hands quickly reached to undo his handcuffs.

"Well?" She grinned, the bright white light bouncing off her face and her long brown strands floating ethereally in the air, "Aren't you going to escape like always?"

His mouth dropped, as the handcuffs fell to the floor. In less than a second, a vast wind blew throughout the entire scene as cards began to thicken below him. Caitlyn's hair floated around her, as he held out his hand and said "Come with me."

"Stay where you are! Put your hands up in the-!" The policeman paused, as Caitlyn took Twisted Fate's hand, stepping close to him.

They disappeared into thin air, their arms tightly embraced around each other and the wind flowing furiously around them.


	10. secrets

Caitlyn opened her eyes, the sound of her heavy breathing in the quiet room. She was in a dark hallway with red carpet and steel walls. Warm yellow light washed over several objects in the distance. She frowned. "Come with me." He said, holding out his hand. She gently took it, leading him lead her into this strange maze.

Then she saw that they were all the items that he had stolen… The Great Sword of Milthorn, the Celestial Crystal, the Helm of the Protector, and other missing treasures. A slow cynical smile grew on her face, as she said "So you were C all along."

They didn't speak to each other for a few more minutes. Caitlyn stared down at the glittering crystal, watched its edges sparkle in the light, as her back was turned to Twisted Fate. He put his hands on her shoulders, turned her right around and kissed her. She closed her eyes, accepting his touch. When she opened her eyes, he reached over and picked up the crystal nimbly. Then he put it in her hands.

Caitlyn's fingers closed gently over the sharp edges of the Freljord's treasured crystal.

He opened his arms wide and said "See you later?" With that, he was gone once again.

She swiveled, staring at all the treasures on the wall.


	11. a happy ending

1.

The reporters were clamoring outside the large double doors in Demacia's Guild Hall. Marsha hugged Caitlyn tightly, pulled away and said "I'm so proud of you, dear. You've finally solved your only open case." Caitlyn considered this fact silently, feeling a glimmer of satisfaction that she now had that treasured perfect record. But at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever 'Will' again. Why had he chosen the name Will anyway?

A few days had already passed, and she hadn't heard from him since. She promised herself that upon seeing him again, she would ask him why he chose 'Will' over any other name. Demacia's Christmas tree was ceiling high, and loomed over the small scattered figures in the hall.

She sighed, placing her hands in her pockets and staring up at all the ornate baubles. "Do you want to take the entrance out back?" Marsha asked, "It'll save you from the reporters." Caitlyn glanced over and said "That'd be wonderful Marsha, thank you. But I'm waiting for my partner first."

Vi stumbled into the room before Caitlyn finished her sentence. She looked disoriented, wearing a random party hat on her pink head. There were large dark circles under her eyes as she stumbled and said "I'm okay!"

Caitlyn's face was blank, but then she burst out laughing in amusement. Her partner froze, a look of surprise on her face. "Aren't you going to nag me?" Vi asked. "No!" Caitlyn wiped the tears away from her eyes, "It's just… you look so funny…"

After barging into the Red Horse, Vi found that Graves' room was empty. In a fit of rage she had smashed all objects in sight and beat up all the security. The owners had no choice but to call the police, of all people. While the police were there, they finally closed down the Red Horse.

Vi and Caitlyn walked out the entrance in the back, which was connected to another building by a steel bridge that loomed over the streets. There was a lone figure in the middle of the bridge wearing a familiar hat and trenchcoat. "Ahem, I'm going to the bathroom." Vi said, winking at Caitlyn who blushed.

2.

They stood side by side looking down the bridge.

"Why did you chose Will, of all names?" Caitlyn asked.

Twisted Fate considered this slowly, then grinned and said "Because having a will makes me different from my father."

"Your father?"

"I didn't lie about my childhood." He sighed, turning over and said "He was a man who had no will. Instead of fighting his circumstances and trying to make a better life, he allowed himself to be worked to death with not a penny to his name. I swore to never be like that."

"I see."

"You have a will too."

Caitlyn looked up.

"That's why I was drawn to you… we have the same will." A slow grin grew on his face, "We never simply lay down and die. We always fight."

There was a pause, she simply stared at him blankly.

"So what now?" He asked.

She walked over and clicked a handcuff over his left wrist, "What happens now is that you follow me home, and I'll teach you a thing or two about lying to me."

His mouth dropped, "Uhh…"

A slow smirk grew on her face, "Well? Hurry up now, I do have a flight to catch."

She delivered a teasing spank to his bottom, which caused him to jump.

"Uhh…" His mind was blank as she simply led him toward the other building, her hand on the other side of the handcuff.

For once, he really didn't have anything clever to say.

3.

The only thing that was out of place in their wonderful wedding was the fact that Twisted Fate's hands were handcuffed behind his back. People noticed, of course, but chose not to say anything. After they finished their vows, they craned their heads for a lovely kiss. Caitlyn pulled away, her eyes glittering with adoration as she said "Do you love me, Will?"

He looked back, his eyes somber, and said "Yes."

"Yes, _m'am_."

"Yes, m'am."

A silly grin grew on his face, as she linked her slim finger underneath the metal link and led him down the aisle. People began to throw rice and flowers, as the two exited out the large wooden double doors with cheers abounding all around them. Vi, the maid of honor, was the loudest among them.

Graves watched from afar, his hands buried in his coat. Eve stalked up to him, appearing out of the blue with two plates of cake in her hands. "Here," she handed him one. He stared down at it for awhile before sighing and taking it.

4.

_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_

_X( I couldn't end at a section 5 this time. I decided not to put any lemons in this one, partly because I found out that MA stories aren't allowed /: . I don't want my stories to get deleted just cause they have a FEW (okay, a few) lemons. I didn't get to update regularly as much on this one because I switched internet companies and had to wait for a new router for a days._

_It seems Caitlyn x Twisted Fate isn't really a popular pairing (as like Cait x Ezreal or TF x Eve), but after reading speculation about how TF is Cait's thief (Caitlyn joined the league just to catch this thief), I was inspired!_

_This story is rated M for 'suggestive' content and violence. _

_I think Perfect Hero is the most innocent out of all my stories, which isn't saying much. HEH. _


End file.
